Dienol compounds, such as hydroxy-substituted conjugated dienes, are useful comonomers in polymerization with other conjugated dienes, such as butadiene, or in the copolymerization of conjugated dienes with monovinyl-substituted aromatic compounds, so as to produce elastomeric compositions containing a high functionality, i.e., a relatively large number of hydroxy groups per molecule. Highly functional polymers are desirable in the preparation of castable rubbers, by which a liquid or semisolid feedstock can be fully cured by heat/pressure treatment to form a highly resilient rubbery product. The highly functional elastomers have improved properties and exhibit greater utility in that they can be easily cured by means other than conventional sulfur vulcanization. Allenic hydroxy-substituted dienes are useful intermediates for a variety of purposes.
The allenic dienols can be used as drying oils in paints, or can be used in other chemical processes. The allenic dienes can be readily converted to hydroxy-substituted acetylenics. Addition of amines to the double bonds results in corrosion inhibitors. Addition of halogens to the double bonds results in useful solvents with both polar and non-polar segments.
Unfortunately, use of such dienol compounds has been very limited since extant methods of preparation have been complex and costly.